Rome's First Breath
by AliceSaysRawr
Summary: A little report I wrote for History on the beginnings of Rome and the beliefs of early Rome. Took me a while, but I'd say it's worth it. If my information is wrong, or if my grammar is wrong, feel free to correct me or just review! -Alice


Chapter One: The Seven Hills of Rome

Long, long ago, there was no such thing as Rome. All that was on the Italian Peninsula were mountains. Although they were mountains, they weren't very developed mountains. The mountains were all smooth, like very big versions of hills. Above the mountains, rivers, ponds, lakes, and everything really, lived the gods. Normally, the gods got along with each other and had a few arguments here and there, but majority of the time, they lived in peace. The Roman gods were like brothers and sisters; they all loved each other, although they did have a few major fights.

At one point in time though, Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto had a huge fight. Over what, nobody knows, even to this day. Neptune, upset, flew down to the mountains. Jupiter and Pluto followed him, picking a fight. The three major gods fought, and while they fought, there were a number of earthquakes that were unexplainable, and the world was dim. Trampling the Italian Peninsula, during their pointless hand-to-hand battle, they created an area of flat land. They had missed seven hills though, while fighting, as well as a mountain range known as the Apennines. When the wise Minerva had settled the feud, the gods retreated back to the heavens and lived peacefully, for a while anyway.

Three years after the feud of the gods, two brothers, Romulus and Remus, had found the seven hills. Together, they planned out an entire empire that would line the seven hills: Palatine Hill, Aventine Hill, Caelian Hill, Esquilline Hill, Viminal Hill, Quirinal Hill, and Capitoline Hill. Palatine Hill was the hill that Romulus and Remus had agreed, would be the center hill. Two years later, after outlining Rome and building some structures dedicated to their father, Mars, and the other gods, there was a tremendous earthquake caused by Jupiter, which was requested by Pluto because the brothers had built Pluto's monument last. The earthquake caused Remus to lose Romulus. Romulus fell into a deep crevice created by the quake. The crevice ran through their city. One year after the death of his brother, Remus threw himself off the ravine over grief and depression.

Chapter Two: The Tiber River

Ten years later, Ceres cried onto the brothers' empire. She cried for her daughter, Proserpina, who was kidnapped and forced into marriage by Pluto. She cried for days on end, and it rained for days on end. Everything was dead, because she had refused to grow anything when her daughter wasn't by her side.

As she cried, she flooded the entire valley in which Rome was nestled. Neptune, a bit annoyed at what Ceres was causing, guided the water into the crevice created by the earthquake eleven years ago. The water easily allowed itself to be guided into the crack. This became the Tiber River.

Ceres, who was scolded by Neptune after what she had done, apologized and the second Proserpina had returned to her, made the land in Rome, good for agriculture.

Chapter Three: The First Romans

Five hundred years after the Tiber River was created, a brave couple had set out to explore new lands. Climbing the mountains, which at the time were more like hills, they reached the Seven Hills of Rome. Settling there, they rebuilt the statues and insisted that these people that the statues were of, were gods who watched over them. This became their religion that they later passed on to new settlers and the children.

The gods and goddesses, pleased at what the couple was doing, made the land a more suitable environment for humans, attracting more and more settlers, who later became Romans. Each god did what he or she could to make Rome a favorable place to settle. Jupiter made the mountains taller and much more jagged, to protect the city from invaders and harsh weather. Ceres made the land more fertile for crops and agriculture. Neptune connected the ravine filled with water to the Mediterranean Sea and the ravine became the Tiber River. Aeolus, the keeper of the winds, Jupiter, and Neptune, worked together to bring favorable weather for crops and mankind.

As time wore on, the original couple had dreams of the Roman gods and created Pantheon as a dedication to them, for making Rome such a wonderful place for them to live.

Epilogue

Today, Rome is still a city outlined around Palatine Hill. The people who live there may or may not still believe in the Roman gods, but the gods are still there, watching over them, like a squirrel watches over his acorns, only, not in a hungry manner.


End file.
